As someone that loves adventures, off roading, vehicle based camping etc. I don't set up my vehicles for anyone but myself and with that being said I slept inside my jeep for years and getting a rooftop tent was a game changer we go 2 or 3 times a month and also do multiple long trips a year like 3500 mile 7 day loops 😊
You entirely missed the point. It's about the force multiplier (leverage) of load on the REAR suspension, in particular, due to the significant increase in drag at the highest point of the vehicle. How much of an increase in wear of the rear suspension components is it? That's quite specific to each rig and likely no one has done sufficient testing so it's all theoretical, but sound reasoning and a minor point compared to his other points. For me, the #1 reason against having a rooftop tent is that it would put our van into the next height tier on the ferry and cost us more money every couple months when traveling back and forth between Germany and Finland. Bottom line, to each their own. :)
@@ronson-natsarim- lol. This is dumb AF. Force multiplier? It’s like 4” thick when folded down. Drag, sure…but like some crazy “force multiplier”, lol. You’re putting 150lbs of 4” slab on your roof. It’s like carrying a couple people in the back seat. The springs aren’t going to start sagging. Lol.
@@rickybobby6605 Disregard the choice of words (force multiplier) if it bothers you. I was simply clarifying the point the author was making regarding the significant increase in drag and, therefore, load on the rear suspension. What measurable difference it would make I have no idea and neither does the author seem to indicate he does. It wasn't a primary point of concern, merely ancillary, so the original commenter in this thread (the one I was replying to) made more of an issue out of it than the maker of the video did.
Most people who use a RTT arent camping in the same spot evrry night... The whole point is to be able to go anywherre, to a new spot every night, and everythign is with you and setup in minutes
@@robbarber7253 okay so if I can setup my tent in 2 minutes, or my RTT in two minutes, what's the difference? I could leave all my gear at my base camp then just pull in after exploring, and pop up my RTT lol Only difference is if your setting up a elaborate bed system or tables in your tent, then sure that you can leave all in your tent when your gone
@@Gendreau113 The difference is you don't have to park on a level surface, it's not physically attached to your truck so your not limited to truck camp spots (ex: boating, hiking, ATVing etc), you don't have to pay 5 times the price, ground tents accomodate large pets, you don't have to climb up and down to go pee at night, the list goes on RTTs are just another gimmicky piece of "overlanding" gear
@@robbarber7253 I get your point sure, but imo there just built for different types of people, if you don't like them no one's fo cing you to buy one? So why are you so upset about it
@@Gendreau113 Not sure how you concluded that in upset or being forced to buy one I was literally responding that there's ground based tents that setup in 2 mins
That's why you get a small offroad trailer and put an RTT on that. Keep the weight low, inline with your vehicle and can drop at the trailhead and come back to a set up camp.
@@robbarber7253Pretty much anywhere u can drive a 4x4 u can drive a trailer. Even off-road, you’d be amazed by what a single axle trailer with chunky tires can roll over.
People aren't even smart enough to know what overlanding is. Been overlanding since the early 1960's, never owned a truck or a 4x4 even. Younger people lack understanding because they lost their minds. The more information is available, the dumber they become. Logic left the room when Merrikuns stopped reading. Their downright dumbness is self-inflicted.
3 reasons you’re wrong: 1. Packing up- only an issue depending on the type of RTT you buy. Soft shell- horrible- wet, take forever to put away. Hardshell Wedge- away in 2 mins, set up in 1 min. And it’s often not the RTT that is the pain to put away, it’s all the other crap that people attach to their vehicles and has to be put away to move the vehicle- all of this stuff can be put up not attached to the rig so you can leave it at your site. 2. Wheeling with weight up high- it’s not a problem except for the most extreme rock crawling where you would really want a specialized vehicle. And you can counter-act it by how you pack- especially your water and fuel, and other ways- example I put a 35 lb tranny and oil pan skid on my JTR. 3. MPGs- I took a bigger MPG hit on my Gladiator going to a stubby front bumper and 35s than with the RTT. I can’t really see any MPG hit- at most maybe half a mpg. Shocked me. But my working hypothesis is that the flat front of the JTR makes the air go up above the RTT so that the RTT sits in the aerodynamic bubble created by the shape of the vehicle. I also own a Gazelle tent when I want more room or really am base camping for a few days. And it’s a great tent. But there is still more set up, it’s not as well insulated (actually not at all and is not great in colder temps), and you don’t wake up 6 ft above the ground, which is just such a nice thing. Honestly I’m surprised you didn’t mention the up and down of a RTT. That’s the biggest pain in the butt to me- if I forgot something once I get up there it’s like 🤬 to have to put on shoes and get down to get it. Or nighhtime bathroom runs etc. But to me, the ability to be prepacked and be able to get outta dodge on a Fri after work quickly and easily without a lot of packing and then roll into a place 10 at night and be in bed within 5 mins means I go on more trips- and there is nothing better than more trips. Obviously this just my perspective and works for me- and you’re nit “wrong” bc it is always whatever works for each of us, but def wanted to give other perspective. For me, Im never going back to the ground on the regular.
3 reasons you're wrong. 1- You have a rooftop tent that's why you're batting for the RTT community. 2- Your fuel economy is up and centre of gravity is UP as well but you won't admit that because you have a RTT. 3- Roof rack companies and RTT companies will tell you in fine print what your on road and off road load capacity is and most roof top tents exceed that. To me that's fraud. They don't care about your vehicle or your safety just sales. So you be happy and comfortable with your RTT, each to their own.
That Gazelle tent you own saved you enough money to where you could buy a nice blow up mattress, portable battery, heater, anything else that you come up with as being a negative over the super overpriced RTT. "Let me compare it to something that is 1/5th the price".
I think the point of the video is that roof top tents are not as glamorous as they seem. Like you pointed out. A RTT with a fast set up time is critical but there’s a lot of ones that are slower and more annoying, not to mention even the crappiest roof too tents run you more than $1000 and to get a really nice one you have to shell out a lot more. There are some people I’m sure it works out for I think people should be informed about the pros and cons before they blindly purchase anything
@@stavio12 1. Nah. Did you not see where I said I have both and use both? 2. I’m not making stuff up. I just got back from a trip today- 15.5 mpgs on the roads there and back. You know what I got before the RTT- 16 mpgs. Did I say no hit? No, I said not much, maybe about .5 mpgs. I also explained that it could be due to the unique shape of Jeeps. And of course a lot has to do with the fact that not all RTTs are the same. A soft shell that is a 10 inch brick up there will be a lot different than a 5 in clamshell that I have. Btw, fuel economy is down, not up. Of course center of gravity is up- I didn’t say it is not. What I did say is that (a) it can be counter-balanced by how you build and pack and (b) it’s not as big a deal for what most overlanders do (and even more so as I wheel mine a fair bit on blues and easier blacks) and really becomes an issue if you are doing hard wheeling. I know this from experience of hitting trails on the same rig with and without, not just speculating. 3. Wow who has some anger issues? I have never seen a RTT company that has the load capacity for vehs. If they do tho, good for them for providing that info. And if you are mad that your veh doesn’t make the list of vehs that can’t handle the weight- buy another veh. Cause yeah, you shouldn’t put one on a veh that can’t handle it. My Gladiator has an Alucab canopy with a 750 lb static load capacity and 350 lb dynamic, so I am fine. The problem with making an argument “against RTTs” is that there are many varieties made out of different materials which drastically affects all of the things about them- set up take down time, wind resistance, weight, room etc. This guy’s complaints apply mostly to soft shell RTTs, hence my comment to point out why he’s wrong applying his gripes about them to all styles. As I said at the end, my comment was for information purposes, we all use what works for us. But since you didn’t lay attention to many of the words I wrote, I guess you missed that too.
because of where it is on the vehicle the more weight the higher up the higher the center of gravity it is. that's like say how dose a few hundred pounds effect the center of gravity of a hundreds of ton aircraft. yet they calculate center of gravity in airplanes because planes have and do crash on takeoff when the center of gravity is not correct. and those things weigh way more than a car.
Hold a 20lb weight in the center of your chest. Now extend your arm to the left or right and hold that weight In your hand. Feels much heavier, right? Same forces apply with the weight of a rooftop tent in off-camber situations.
@@davidbeard2748 under normal conditions and mild off-roading, you probably won't notice the weight that much. However, if you're doing some serious off-roading and getting real off-camber, that weight will be much more noticeable and potentially be the difference between clearing the obstacle or rolling over.
It's always interesting to hear people's views, depending on what works for them. I have a RTT (a Bundutop), which gives us extra packing space for long trips inside the vehicle canopy, as our bedding stays in the tent. It's extremely comfortable and very quick to erect and close down, so moving around daily is not an issue. Our overlanding trips don't involve tackling extreme trails, so the bit of extra weight on the roof isn't an issue. I live in South Africa and can go anywhere on the continent with confidence.
Everything you said makes sense. With my wife we bought one in 2019 and the reasons I’d recommend it are: she barely enjoyed camping, now she really likes it (it makes her feel she’s not sleeping surrounded by spiders. I’ll never tell her the truth.). We road trip more than we off-road and We don’t often stay at the same spot more than two nights. Being able to get to a state park in the middle of the night and be ready to sleep five minutes after we stopped the motor works well for our trip style. But it’s a steep price. It absolutely is a non essential luxury item. And it has its shortcomings.
This is a touchy subject. For some reason, people do not understand that certain equipment and setups work better for others versus themselves. I am not an RTT guy, as I prefer my camper shell, but that does not mean the RTT is any worse than my setup. I think its silly how much ego is now involved with overlanding, and I think it has to do with how expensive everything has gotten. Nobody wants to feel like their thousand dollar investment was unnecessary. One key perk of sleeping in an RTT or camper shell is the protection from bears and/or tweakers. Sometimes the RTT is used as a fashion piece, but so are shackles, maxtraxx, etc..
Sounds more like personal preferences. I didnt hear any issues. None of them would ruin my day. Rule 1- no soft shell RTT's. Thats it. Have a great day, and dont be afraid of some work...
Lo que pasa es que el hace offroad y su prioridad es el desempeño del vehículo, mientras que los que usan rooftop tent es por qué su prioridad es hacer camping, eso creo 😅😅😅
Im over 50. For any guys over 50 we know what that means at nightime. I do not fancy navigating a ladder, in the middle of the night, half asleep. My other reason is the first reason he gave.
I don’t want to climb down a spindly ladder in the middle of the night to pee. The whole concept makes no sense unless you need protection from critters.
I just bought RTT, if you really want to save yourself some $ buy a slightly used one for 1/3 of retail price, then you don’t need to justify why you bought it😂
Rooftop tent means you camp where the vehicle goes. Some of the best camp sites require a hike beyond the parking lot. Better off getting a really nice tent at fraction of a rooftop tent and using the saved money for sleeping bag, air pad, cooking equipment, fuel, food, etc.
Three (3) reasons a person would use a rooftop tent: 1. Being a Basecamp for a backcountry traveler (backpacker) or other semi-sedintary/semi-mobile disbursed camp situation (Forest Service, archaeology/ecology surveys) 2. Being in a campground with other localized transportation modalities (ie. A bicycle) 3. Camping with more than one vehicle and in a very small party Otherwise, Most people that want a tent might be better in their vehicle. But, your comment is good, non-conventional info for suspension/alignment mechanics, at least as some things to think about.
I got a ground tent and roof top tent .. can still set up camp and leave everything there …got a rtt so the wife could come and not bitch about critters all around the tent 😂😂….what ever works for people just got out and enjoy ..
My pop up RTT is great 15 seconds to set up and 30 seconds to break down , RTT are great on long trips in a pinch you can sleep anywhere you can park your vehicle. My makes no noise when I drive and 100 pounds has made no difference whatsoever, but I also have upgraded suspension. Not to mention sometimes on trips along the coast it’s nice to just pullover pop open the RTT and enjoy the ocean . Can’t just pull over and put down a tent on the side of the road .
Overland trailer is the move! Easy enough for pretty much anyone to build themselves with some relatively simple power tools and off-the-shelf parts. Trailers give of use of a rooftop tent with the flexibility of one you can take in/out of your trunk. I put a little wagon handle and a chunky jokey wheel on to drag it into “tent only” areas with no trouble from park rangers. The whole setup weighs no more than 500 lbs fully loaded with water and Jerry cans. Can keep everything stored in it and hook up for weekend warrior activities.
I think people who use RTT use it exactly for the reason not to have to camp with others in some camp. Its a matter of priority. I for example always choose RTT over some crowded place where I have to return to 👎🏻
Do what you want… period! I love my rooftop tent, not a big deal putting up and down. Heck once I left my walker in one of the pockets quickly opened it up and back down in minutes. I get why some of you hate them but lots of us love it. We have a travel trailer too and sometimes we use that . So enjoy what you like . Not all of us do rock crawling but easy trail driving . 100 lbs affecting center of gravity… geez
Who goes back to the same camp every night. It's overlanding. Backtracking means you're doing it wrong. 100lbs up on top isn't moving your center up enough to matter. If you're gonna use your daily for this stuff, removing the tent is just part of unloading the gear. 3 reasons this guy made excuses to sleep on the ground. 😂
He said ‘be able to’. I get what he means, bc often you want to be able to do both with a setup, more camping and ride style or pack up everyday and move on over-landing style. I would agree that a ground tent or using the vehicle itself to sleep in is more versatile for this, although you’d probably want a fast pitch tent, not a complicated palace tent. The center of gravity part I would agree is mostly negligible unless you are putting like 500lbs up there, but you lose the storage up there if you are sleeping inside the vehicle or just need more room for stuff. Some people have a little pulley in their garages to take down the tent, but without something like this I could see how it could get annoying to mount it and dismount and would likely require at least an extra set of hands, so if you are solo, it would suck.
200 pounds for a pick up Truck is like bringing your mom in a trip. 200 pounds is nothing, it would do nothing to the suspension. A truck camper weight 1500 pounds and stays on the truck for 6 months and nothing happens. You don't use a rooftop tent because you can't afford one.
There is no way you think a 100-pound tent “changes your center of gravity to be way up high.” Although I apologize for assuming too much if your pickup weighs 30 pounds.
The whole point of a roof tent is to spend 1 night in different locations without messing around with a tent on the ground some roof te ts take 60 seconds to back up
And why would you put a soft shell tent on top your vehicle anyway? Mine is a hard top and it takes less than 5 minutes to take down. If off roading is your thing 1. You bought the wrong RTT 2. Sleep on the ground
If you're an off-road driver then you have the space you'd need for it what these are for is to save space inside the car for different gear over a huge tent and sorry honestly I'm not going to take anything from anyone who uses a icefishing tent as a regular tent
I had one in Northern Australia on my Defender. We would fish a lot, it was great, no snakes, not worry about crocodiles. But the high weight was an issue. I did wonder if I could bold one to a rear wheel carrier and flip it off the back on little stilts, so your still off the ground. I loved just keeping all my bedding in it and the pack up speed.
But good thing has roof tent! In summer, it protect you from summer heat while you drive or having a traffic jam! The cooling effect in your car will be steady! Second having nice few on top of your car! Specially if you park on a parking lot in the city and there will be an event on the street afterwards! Like parade! There are lot of people around you standing in crowed trying to see the parade! But you are laying or sitting on the corner of your roof tent having Alcohol free beer and chips and see the parade with your family having best few! Also in nature, some places they do have wet air! In only living in the tent on floor everything has wet feeling! But on the top of the roof tent there is less wet air and if it has a little wind breeze❗️you feel better! Also having best few！ And last at least! You are more protected from wild life on the roof!
I have my rooftop tent on a homemade trailer works great can set it up unhook my trailer and go to the store. Leave the campsite and come home and everything still the same.👍👍
Baffles my mind why anyone puts mpg in the same sentence as offroading in a lifted machine with giant tires. I've watched these overland guys literally pay 3000 more for a tent to say they saved 5 minutes per day. These aren't explorers or campers. There glorified Maddonas that want to act rugged 😂
I don't own of this myself but those were the exact reasons i thought of myself and why i wasn't a big fan of them. They're cool nonetheless but these 3 things were my thoughts as well
Fuel economy? You're worried about fuel economy? Driving a truck? 😂😂😂 Upgrade suspension to handle ALL that weight? Hope you don't ever have passengers 😂
My biggest reason to not have an RTT… my vic would be up tall to park in the garage. Since it would have to be outside I either need to remove it or risk having it stolen. Reason 2, my dog. Climbing in and out with him would be a pain in the ass on an unimaginable scale. He’s 70lbs. I’ll stick to my backpacking tents
If you're making any meaningful decisions either way off of a UA-cam short, let alone one this one sided, can I offer you some ocean front property in North Dakota? You seem like a smart guy who would see the value in that.
1 & 2: in Australia we have ‘Jack off canopies’. So basically high lift your entire canopy onto legs and drive away. Easy, simple and you’re good to go for harder wheeling
So I keep doing back to wear you said a roof top tent is 100lbs but if someone has a camper cover over the bed they way a lot more and iv seen trucks have them the whole owner ship I agree with the center of gravity but having to up grade your shock and leaf springs is alittle much
And you think you know every person's unique circumstances and needs? How very enlightened you must be. It's okay if it doesn't answer your needs, but mine are very different.
If you don’t have a roof top tent no one will know your a overlander.
😂 true ……I’ve got my rig set up specifically so people don’t know 😎✌️
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
How can you tip your rig over if you don't have 845.276 pounds of extra crap hanging on it?
As someone that loves adventures, off roading, vehicle based camping etc. I don't set up my vehicles for anyone but myself and with that being said I slept inside my jeep for years and getting a rooftop tent was a game changer we go 2 or 3 times a month and also do multiple long trips a year like 3500 mile 7 day loops 😊
AKA a ricer of the woods
Suspension? Really? For a 100lb tent? Bruh I weigh 310 😂
Exactly he said the suspension is going to start sagging over 100 pounds 😂 that’s less than what most people weigh
You entirely missed the point. It's about the force multiplier (leverage) of load on the REAR suspension, in particular, due to the significant increase in drag at the highest point of the vehicle. How much of an increase in wear of the rear suspension components is it? That's quite specific to each rig and likely no one has done sufficient testing so it's all theoretical, but sound reasoning and a minor point compared to his other points.
For me, the #1 reason against having a rooftop tent is that it would put our van into the next height tier on the ferry and cost us more money every couple months when traveling back and forth between Germany and Finland.
Bottom line, to each their own. :)
@@ronson-natsarim- lol. This is dumb AF. Force multiplier? It’s like 4” thick when folded down. Drag, sure…but like some crazy “force multiplier”, lol. You’re putting 150lbs of 4” slab on your roof. It’s like carrying a couple people in the back seat. The springs aren’t going to start sagging. Lol.
@@rickybobby6605 Disregard the choice of words (force multiplier) if it bothers you. I was simply clarifying the point the author was making regarding the significant increase in drag and, therefore, load on the rear suspension. What measurable difference it would make I have no idea and neither does the author seem to indicate he does. It wasn't a primary point of concern, merely ancillary, so the original commenter in this thread (the one I was replying to) made more of an issue out of it than the maker of the video did.
😂😂😂😂my thoughts exactly
Be happy. Get what you like. Simple
Most people who use a RTT arent camping in the same spot evrry night... The whole point is to be able to go anywherre, to a new spot every night, and everythign is with you and setup in minutes
you can get ground based tents that setup in like 2 minutes
@@robbarber7253 okay so if I can setup my tent in 2 minutes, or my RTT in two minutes, what's the difference?
I could leave all my gear at my base camp then just pull in after exploring, and pop up my RTT lol
Only difference is if your setting up a elaborate bed system or tables in your tent, then sure that you can leave all in your tent when your gone
@@Gendreau113 The difference is you don't have to park on a level surface, it's not physically attached to your truck so your not limited to truck camp spots (ex: boating, hiking, ATVing etc), you don't have to pay 5 times the price, ground tents accomodate large pets, you don't have to climb up and down to go pee at night, the list goes on RTTs are just another gimmicky piece of "overlanding" gear
@@robbarber7253 I get your point sure, but imo there just built for different types of people, if you don't like them no one's fo cing you to buy one? So why are you so upset about it
@@Gendreau113 Not sure how you concluded that in upset or being forced to buy one I was literally responding that there's ground based tents that setup in 2 mins
I don’t like the idea of leaving all my expensive camping gear to be stolen while I am out on adventures.
Don't go to Alice Springs
Don’t go to Mount Isa either, or any place where Aboriginals in numbers are roaming the area. All your stuff will get stolen.
3 reasons are price, price, and price. Nothing else matters.
Fr
Yeah I saw what some companies want for a 4 seasons rooftop tent. Over 5K! I said "For what!" And it'll be a small one for 2 people.
That's why you get a small offroad trailer and put an RTT on that. Keep the weight low, inline with your vehicle and can drop at the trailhead and come back to a set up camp.
Then you have to tow a trailer which isn't an option in some places
@@robbarber7253Pretty much anywhere u can drive a 4x4 u can drive a trailer. Even off-road, you’d be amazed by what a single axle trailer with chunky tires can roll over.
@@HatWearingDog If there are super tight hairpin turns with lots of trees and obstacles or big washouts a trailer is not an option.
Overlanding, off roading, rock crawling, mudding are all different things which mean different vehicle/setups I wish more people knew the difference
People aren't even smart enough to know what overlanding is. Been overlanding since the early 1960's, never owned a truck or a 4x4 even. Younger people lack understanding because they lost their minds. The more information is available, the dumber they become. Logic left the room when Merrikuns stopped reading. Their downright dumbness is self-inflicted.
I've made the same comment before. Glad you recognize the difference.
3 reasons you’re wrong:
1. Packing up- only an issue depending on the type of RTT you buy. Soft shell- horrible- wet, take forever to put away. Hardshell Wedge- away in 2 mins, set up in 1 min. And it’s often not the RTT that is the pain to put away, it’s all the other crap that people attach to their vehicles and has to be put away to move the vehicle- all of this stuff can be put up not attached to the rig so you can leave it at your site.
2. Wheeling with weight up high- it’s not a problem except for the most extreme rock crawling where you would really want a specialized vehicle. And you can counter-act it by how you pack- especially your water and fuel, and other ways- example I put a 35 lb tranny and oil pan skid on my JTR.
3. MPGs- I took a bigger MPG hit on my Gladiator going to a stubby front bumper and 35s than with the RTT. I can’t really see any MPG hit- at most maybe half a mpg. Shocked me. But my working hypothesis is that the flat front of the JTR makes the air go up above the RTT so that the RTT sits in the aerodynamic bubble created by the shape of the vehicle.
I also own a Gazelle tent when I want more room or really am base camping for a few days. And it’s a great tent. But there is still more set up, it’s not as well insulated (actually not at all and is not great in colder temps), and you don’t wake up 6 ft above the ground, which is just such a nice thing.
Honestly I’m surprised you didn’t mention the up and down of a RTT. That’s the biggest pain in the butt to me- if I forgot something once I get up there it’s like 🤬 to have to put on shoes and get down to get it. Or nighhtime bathroom runs etc. But to me, the ability to be prepacked and be able to get outta dodge on a Fri after work quickly and easily without a lot of packing and then roll into a place 10 at night and be in bed within 5 mins means I go on more trips- and there is nothing better than more trips.
Obviously this just my perspective and works for me- and you’re nit “wrong” bc it is always whatever works for each of us, but def wanted to give other perspective. For me, Im never going back to the ground on the regular.
3 reasons you're wrong.
1- You have a rooftop tent that's why you're batting for the RTT community.
2- Your fuel economy is up and centre of gravity is UP as well but you won't admit that because you have a RTT.
3- Roof rack companies and RTT companies will tell you in fine print what your on road and off road load capacity is and most roof top tents exceed that. To me that's fraud. They don't care about your vehicle or your safety just sales.
So you be happy and comfortable with your RTT, each to their own.
That Gazelle tent you own saved you enough money to where you could buy a nice blow up mattress, portable battery, heater, anything else that you come up with as being a negative over the super overpriced RTT. "Let me compare it to something that is 1/5th the price".
🧢
I think the point of the video is that roof top tents are not as glamorous as they seem. Like you pointed out. A RTT with a fast set up time is critical but there’s a lot of ones that are slower and more annoying, not to mention even the crappiest roof too tents run you more than $1000 and to get a really nice one you have to shell out a lot more. There are some people I’m sure it works out for I think people should be informed about the pros and cons before they blindly purchase anything
@@stavio12
1. Nah. Did you not see where I said I have both and use both?
2. I’m not making stuff up. I just got back from a trip today- 15.5 mpgs on the roads there and back. You know what I got before the RTT- 16 mpgs. Did I say no hit? No, I said not much, maybe about .5 mpgs. I also explained that it could be due to the unique shape of Jeeps. And of course a lot has to do with the fact that not all RTTs are the same. A soft shell that is a 10 inch brick up there will be a lot different than a 5 in clamshell that I have. Btw, fuel economy is down, not up. Of course center of gravity is up- I didn’t say it is not. What I did say is that (a) it can be counter-balanced by how you build and pack and (b) it’s not as big a deal for what most overlanders do (and even more so as I wheel mine a fair bit on blues and easier blacks) and really becomes an issue if you are doing hard wheeling. I know this from experience of hitting trails on the same rig with and without, not just speculating.
3. Wow who has some anger issues? I have never seen a RTT company that has the load capacity for vehs. If they do tho, good for them for providing that info. And if you are mad that your veh doesn’t make the list of vehs that can’t handle the weight- buy another veh. Cause yeah, you shouldn’t put one on a veh that can’t handle it. My Gladiator has an Alucab canopy with a 750 lb static load capacity and 350 lb dynamic, so I am fine.
The problem with making an argument “against RTTs” is that there are many varieties made out of different materials which drastically affects all of the things about them- set up take down time, wind resistance, weight, room etc. This guy’s complaints apply mostly to soft shell RTTs, hence my comment to point out why he’s wrong applying his gripes about them to all styles. As I said at the end, my comment was for information purposes, we all use what works for us. But since you didn’t lay attention to many of the words I wrote, I guess you missed that too.
You don’t even wheel bro. 😂
Lmao right!?
😂😂😂😂😂
How's a 100 or even 200 pound tent change center of gravity on a 3 ton vehicle? I weigh that myself.
because of where it is on the vehicle the more weight the higher up the higher the center of gravity it is. that's like say how dose a few hundred pounds effect the center of gravity of a hundreds of ton aircraft. yet they calculate center of gravity in airplanes because
planes have and do crash on takeoff when the center of gravity is not correct. and those things weigh way more than a car.
Hold a 20lb weight in the center of your chest. Now extend your arm to the left or right and hold that weight In your hand. Feels much heavier, right? Same forces apply with the weight of a rooftop tent in off-camber situations.
It's not enough weight to offset anything. 150# seems like nothing to my Jeeps actual weight of 6400#.
@@davidbeard2748 under normal conditions and mild off-roading, you probably won't notice the weight that much. However, if you're doing some serious off-roading and getting real off-camber, that weight will be much more noticeable and potentially be the difference between clearing the obstacle or rolling over.
It's always interesting to hear people's views, depending on what works for them. I have a RTT (a Bundutop), which gives us extra packing space for long trips inside the vehicle canopy, as our bedding stays in the tent. It's extremely comfortable and very quick to erect and close down, so moving around daily is not an issue. Our overlanding trips don't involve tackling extreme trails, so the bit of extra weight on the roof isn't an issue. I live in South Africa and can go anywhere on the continent with confidence.
Love my RTT makes me look cool parked at Costco
😂
The bottom line is,
DIFFERENT STROKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS.
Everything you said makes sense. With my wife we bought one in 2019 and the reasons I’d recommend it are: she barely enjoyed camping, now she really likes it (it makes her feel she’s not sleeping surrounded by spiders. I’ll never tell her the truth.).
We road trip more than we off-road and We don’t often stay at the same spot more than two nights. Being able to get to a state park in the middle of the night and be ready to sleep five minutes after we stopped the motor works well for our trip style.
But it’s a steep price. It absolutely is a non essential luxury item.
And it has its shortcomings.
My rooftop tent is quicker than any normal tent and I can leave my sleeping bag in it. Just don't buy one that was invented in the 2000's😂
People in roof top tents are scared of the outdoors. They feel safer on top of their vehicle.
This is a touchy subject. For some reason, people do not understand that certain equipment and setups work better for others versus themselves. I am not an RTT guy, as I prefer my camper shell, but that does not mean the RTT is any worse than my setup. I think its silly how much ego is now involved with overlanding, and I think it has to do with how expensive everything has gotten. Nobody wants to feel like their thousand dollar investment was unnecessary. One key perk of sleeping in an RTT or camper shell is the protection from bears and/or tweakers. Sometimes the RTT is used as a fashion piece, but so are shackles, maxtraxx, etc..
The advantage of your setup is that it won’t get stolen when it’s parked outside a garage
MPG and Off-road at your truck's "full potential" don't go together..
You don't need that roof rack or the most aggressive mud tyres
People pack too much stuff in general. Once you’ve wheeled light and simple you can never go back
Sounds more like personal preferences. I didnt hear any issues. None of them would ruin my day.
Rule 1- no soft shell RTT's. Thats it.
Have a great day, and dont be afraid of some work...
Lo que pasa es que el hace offroad y su prioridad es el desempeño del vehículo, mientras que los que usan rooftop tent es por qué su prioridad es hacer camping, eso creo 😅😅😅
@@mauriciobarrientos6988 agreed.
Im over 50. For any guys over 50 we know what that means at nightime. I do not fancy navigating a ladder, in the middle of the night, half asleep.
My other reason is the first reason he gave.
Carbon Fiber RTT at 80lbs and 4” profile isn’t a bad option at $1600 though
So I got a rooftoptent with a hardtop and is light.
I can get it on and of my Jeep alone without lifting tools.
So what is the problem?
I don’t want to climb down a spindly ladder in the middle of the night to pee. The whole concept makes no sense unless you need protection from critters.
What tent is that I can see in the background
Yeah. What is that quilted goodness?
I just bought RTT, if you really want to save yourself some $ buy a slightly used one for 1/3 of retail price, then you don’t need to justify why you bought it😂
Ebay has great prices on used ones. And we all know how😅 most were mall crawlers and never really used.
My Tacoma has a truck cap so I just sleep on the bed when I go camping 😅.
So many fake overlanders out there. Roof top tent but never get out. Sad sacks.
Rooftop tent means you camp where the vehicle goes. Some of the best camp sites require a hike beyond the parking lot. Better off getting a really nice tent at fraction of a rooftop tent and using the saved money for sleeping bag, air pad, cooking equipment, fuel, food, etc.
I weigh more than my tent, so you’re saying I need to upgrade my suspension because of my own weight too?
Three (3) reasons a person would use a rooftop tent:
1. Being a Basecamp for a backcountry traveler (backpacker) or other semi-sedintary/semi-mobile disbursed camp situation (Forest Service, archaeology/ecology surveys)
2. Being in a campground with other localized transportation modalities (ie. A bicycle)
3. Camping with more than one vehicle and in a very small party
Otherwise, Most people that want a tent might be better in their vehicle.
But, your comment is good, non-conventional info for suspension/alignment mechanics, at least as some things to think about.
I got a ground tent and roof top tent .. can still set up camp and leave everything there …got a rtt so the wife could come and not bitch about critters all around the tent 😂😂….what ever works for people just got out and enjoy ..
My pop up RTT is great 15 seconds to set up and 30 seconds to break down , RTT are great on long trips in a pinch you can sleep anywhere you can park your vehicle. My makes no noise when I drive and 100 pounds has made no difference whatsoever, but I also have upgraded suspension. Not to mention sometimes on trips along the coast it’s nice to just pullover pop open the RTT and enjoy the ocean . Can’t just pull over and put down a tent on the side of the road .
Overland trailer is the move! Easy enough for pretty much anyone to build themselves with some relatively simple power tools and off-the-shelf parts.
Trailers give of use of a rooftop tent with the flexibility of one you can take in/out of your trunk.
I put a little wagon handle and a chunky jokey wheel on to drag it into “tent only” areas with no trouble from park rangers. The whole setup weighs no more than 500 lbs fully loaded with water and Jerry cans. Can keep everything stored in it and hook up for weekend warrior activities.
I would agree if we were talking about a 200+ pound tent but the one I have is 120 pounds. That won’t make a difference.
And if you have dogs, it’s a pain to get them up there
Mine weighs 130lb no chance....
I think people who use RTT use it exactly for the reason not to have to camp with others in some camp. Its a matter of priority. I for example always choose RTT over some crowded place where I have to return to 👎🏻
Do what you want… period! I love my rooftop tent, not a big deal putting up and down. Heck once I left my walker in one of the pockets quickly opened it up and back down in minutes.
I get why some of you hate them but lots of us love it.
We have a travel trailer too and sometimes we use that .
So enjoy what you like . Not all of us do rock crawling but easy trail driving .
100 lbs affecting center of gravity… geez
What brand is the tent in the background?
Does this tent help in the cold winter?
Who goes back to the same camp every night. It's overlanding. Backtracking means you're doing it wrong. 100lbs up on top isn't moving your center up enough to matter. If you're gonna use your daily for this stuff, removing the tent is just part of unloading the gear. 3 reasons this guy made excuses to sleep on the ground. 😂
He said ‘be able to’. I get what he means, bc often you want to be able to do both with a setup, more camping and ride style or pack up everyday and move on over-landing style. I would agree that a ground tent or using the vehicle itself to sleep in is more versatile for this, although you’d probably want a fast pitch tent, not a complicated palace tent. The center of gravity part I would agree is mostly negligible unless you are putting like 500lbs up there, but you lose the storage up there if you are sleeping inside the vehicle or just need more room for stuff. Some people have a little pulley in their garages to take down the tent, but without something like this I could see how it could get annoying to mount it and dismount and would likely require at least an extra set of hands, so if you are solo, it would suck.
I don't need a tent, I drive Unimog 😆
That's the unicorn of the overland community 😊
200 pounds for a pick up Truck is like bringing your mom in a trip. 200 pounds is nothing, it would do nothing to the suspension. A truck camper weight 1500 pounds and stays on the truck for 6 months and nothing happens. You don't use a rooftop tent because you can't afford one.
There is no way you think a 100-pound tent “changes your center of gravity to be way up high.” Although I apologize for assuming too much if your pickup weighs 30 pounds.
who leave their tent unattended. if you need to go somewhere you either have an ebike or mountain bike with you.
What is the tent behind you?
That’s an Overlandish Base Camp tent. Best ground tent money can buy.
There are two reasons that I'll never use a roof top tent: Hotels and Motels.
Whats that Toypta in the clip??
Then which tent should I buy
I don’t trust even leaving my crap at a camp site and going wheeling for hours
If you go travel with your car then just sleep in your car?
Why not sleep in your car?
People do I do we just don’t make it obvious by tacking the entire overlanding catalog to the outside of our rig 😂
Whats that Toyota in the clip??
The thing about having a RTT. IS YOU DONT HAVE TO COME BACK... When you find you SPOT. that's camp.
The whole point of a roof tent is to spend 1 night in different locations without messing around with a tent on the ground some roof te ts take 60 seconds to back up
And why would you put a soft shell tent on top your vehicle anyway? Mine is a hard top and it takes less than 5 minutes to take down. If off roading is your thing
1. You bought the wrong RTT
2. Sleep on the ground
I mounted mine on a bed rack only 13" high to avoid the wind drag but I'll be moving it to a small trailer soon. best option I think.
Trucks are made to hold that kind of weight. They barely weigh anything.😂
I think rooftop tents are great for a night out with the kids.... i love it
I don't like leaving all of my stuff at camp unattended tbh
If you're an off-road driver then you have the space you'd need for it what these are for is to save space inside the car for different gear over a huge tent and sorry honestly I'm not going to take anything from anyone who uses a icefishing tent as a regular tent
They’re great for touring and camping in areas with crocodiles 🐊
I had one in Northern Australia on my Defender. We would fish a lot, it was great, no snakes, not worry about crocodiles. But the high weight was an issue. I did wonder if I could bold one to a rear wheel carrier and flip it off the back on little stilts, so your still off the ground. I loved just keeping all my bedding in it and the pack up speed.
there's one called the swing away tent (I think that's the name)
That sagging suspension comment was definitely directed at the tacoma fanboys lol
You can put a rooftent on a small car trailer also...its the most simple solution
Id rather not be tethered to the truck either… my camp and truck are separate. Sometimes where i wanna set up isn’t even where my truck can go
But good thing has roof tent!
In summer, it protect you from summer heat while you drive or having a traffic jam! The cooling effect in your car will be steady!
Second having nice few on top of your car!
Specially if you park on a parking lot in the city and there will be an event on the street afterwards! Like parade! There are lot of people around you standing in crowed trying to see the parade! But you are laying or sitting on the corner of your roof tent having Alcohol free beer and chips and see the parade with your family having best few!
Also in nature, some places they do have wet air! In only living in the tent on floor everything has wet feeling! But on the top of the roof tent there is less wet air and if it has a little wind breeze❗️you feel better! Also having best few！
And last at least! You are more protected from wild life on the roof!
I won't pay $4000 for a place to sleep while camping
Roof tip tents are a fad, imo I'd rather have a 270° awning with walls
I use a truck bed tent and haul a quad on a trailer
One more, if you have a dog then that rooftop tent is not gonna work.
Different tents for different gents. Plain and simple.
I have my rooftop tent on a homemade trailer works great can set it up unhook my trailer and go to the store. Leave the campsite and come home and everything still the same.👍👍
Baffles my mind why anyone puts mpg in the same sentence as offroading in a lifted machine with giant tires.
I've watched these overland guys literally pay 3000 more for a tent to say they saved 5 minutes per day.
These aren't explorers or campers. There glorified Maddonas that want to act rugged 😂
I call the forest ricers. The funny part is a stock Tacoma/4runner is capable of doing nearly everything they can do at 1/2 the cost
For that 3 reasons it makes me want to get one 😝
Alucab Canopy Camper - that all I can say about not using a rooftop tent, because it’s simply the very best overlanding camping solution.😮
I don't own of this myself but those were the exact reasons i thought of myself and why i wasn't a big fan of them. They're cool nonetheless but these 3 things were my thoughts as well
230lb guy explaining why his monster truck can't carry 100lb tent
#4 The first 3 reasons are bogus. You can always tell who takes their hobby too seriously. They exaggerate
Fuel economy? You're worried about fuel economy? Driving a truck? 😂😂😂 Upgrade suspension to handle ALL that weight? Hope you don't ever have passengers 😂
My biggest reason to not have an RTT… my vic would be up tall to park in the garage. Since it would have to be outside I either need to remove it or risk having it stolen.
Reason 2, my dog. Climbing in and out with him would be a pain in the ass on an unimaginable scale. He’s 70lbs.
I’ll stick to my backpacking tents
Fantastic advice thank you. I was just about to buy one. Heading off now to buy a three man tent
If you're making any meaningful decisions either way off of a UA-cam short, let alone one this one sided, can I offer you some ocean front property in North Dakota? You seem like a smart guy who would see the value in that.
Things poor people say
If you buy a hard shell roof top tent takes 3 seconds to flick a latch and it’s done ocam make some real nice RTT’s [roof top tents]
I will do what i want regardless and i have reasons.
Come to aus champion, 70% of us do tough tracks with rooftops 😂
Bruh 100lbs ?
Most people eat McDonalds all day & weigh 250 lbs & over. I ain't worried about 1 single tent.
Everybody’s got a problem with everything!
😱Saggy springs from the weight of a tent ? 🤭That’s not happening. (Ever) !
LOL ! ! ! 😆😂🤣
RTT is great for overlanding.
1 & 2: in Australia we have ‘Jack off canopies’. So basically high lift your entire canopy onto legs and drive away. Easy, simple and you’re good to go for harder wheeling
Haha 100lbs isn't throwing the center of gravity off that much. Save up and buy one before you knock them. 😉
offroad car without tent will look lame as fuck xD
Reason 1: I can't afford it.
Ya ,that's why You should stay in your normal tent ....
So I keep doing back to wear you said a roof top tent is 100lbs but if someone has a camper cover over the bed they way a lot more and iv seen trucks have them the whole owner ship I agree with the center of gravity but having to up grade your shock and leaf springs is alittle much
Nice yellow shades.
And you think you know every person's unique circumstances and needs? How very enlightened you must be. It's okay if it doesn't answer your needs, but mine are very different.
Homie: “I just got my rooftop tent.”
Me: *Laughs in MSR gear for every season.*
Cheap and lazy is all I heard.